“I told our guys how proud we are and how tough it is not only to sweep in the NCHC but do it on the road”, Berry said. “Credit to them, they played phenomenal the whole game”.
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“I was pleased with the offensive line”, Santiago said. “I felt we were starting to get a little momentum from that and you have to make something happen on a five-on-three, and even on those power plays”.
Wolanin opened the scoring at 8:30 of the first period with assists from Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz. But UND answered on Menke’s breakaway at 8:46 to restore her team’s two-goal lead.
North Dakota continued to pressure the Gophers, and Meghan Dufault scored back-to-back goals within nine seconds of eachother.
Immediately after that first goal from Dufault, Menke and the Gophers’ Milica McMillen were given matching minors for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct, respectively. “It’s just the style of play, up and down hockey, that’s a skating game”. “It was an overall bad team effort in the first two periods in regards to how we know we can play”.
Wilkie gave North Dakota a three-goal lead at 6:29 of the third when he got a weak-angle shot off from the right-side boards near the hashmarks that surprised Nehama and went in. North Dakota had blocked 13 Minnesota shots through the first two periods, but more than doubled that total in the third, getting in front of 16 to slow the Gophers’ offense. The Tigers hadn’t scored in more than eight periods over four games before Kivihalme’s goal. Looking for the equalizer, the Gophers pulled Leveille in favor of the extra attacker with 1:45 remaining. UND added three more touchdowns before the break (30-yard run, 53-yard pass and a 75-yard run).
North Dakota made a few key defensive plays in the fourth quarter, including Jake Disterhaupt knocking down a pass on fourth down that sealed the win.
UND, which snapped a three-game losing streak, drove 80 yards in five plays and was helped by a facemask penalty on the game-winning drive.
Saturday’s win marks the first time in the school’s division one history, UND defeated Montana State. “Going against a team like (Montana State), you have to keep plugging away and plugging away and we did that today”.
CC freshman defenseman Cole McCaskill ripped a shot top shelf to make it 5-2 and record his first goal as a Tiger with 9:43 left in the game.
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North Dakota will have the weekend off next week before hosting Ohio State the weekend of October 14-15 at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Puck drop for the first game is set for 2:07 p.m. (CT).
